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Will I Wake Up?

It was just another routine day as I paraded into the hospital with my resident following close on my heels. I found it somewhat strange as he ranted out the details about the patient who was posted for surgery that morning. Irritated by the constant murmuring, I turned around to face him and asked "So, whats the real issue here??". "He's afraid of undergoing surgery because of the anesthesia. Someone close to him once had a complication. He insists on speaking to you before we start."

This was really surprising for me as most of the patients, well almost all, literally begged me to knock them unconscious. But this guy was afraid.....afraid that he might never get up from the induced slumber. As I walked up to him, the anxiety was evident from the flushed face and sweat on his forehead. "She never woke up......My mom....she never came out of the anesthesia!!"

The fear in his eyes gripped my heart. I understood instantly how he felt. I took his hand in mine and made small talk about his life to make him comfortable. We spoke of his hobbies, his dreams, his travel fantasies....almost everything but the surgery and of course the dreaded anesthesia. "I've always wanted to travel to Ladakh" he said. By the end of our 20 minute conversation, I had seen a sense of calm come over his troubled face. "Are we ready to go then?". "Yes!! I am ready now."

As I injected the drug into his veins, I kept speaking to him of Ladakh. He slept peacefully throughout surgery and woke up with no problems at all. Later during the day when I visited him, he expressed his gratitude for all the pains we had taken to allay his fears. As I turned to take his leave he said, "Thank you for the lovely trip, by the way!!" "Where did I take you??" I asked him, to which came the prompt reply....."LADAKH."

-----By MocktailMommy Prasanna

MocktailMommy Prasanna is an Anesthetist by profession. She is a fitness diva, wanderlust traveler and a fine writer.

I don't fear anesthesia (have never had a bad experience with it, other than afterwards - with everyone insisting I might get sick, shouldn't have anything but ice chips, need to rest on my side - oh, nonsense! Give me pizza!) I've never worried about not waking up, even from a 12 hour surgery six years ago. But I am needlephobic.

I got pregnant with my son two weeks after an early miscarriage; two doctors thought that he was an ectopic pregnancy, so off I went - thinking I'd wake up the mother of an only child, having had a hysterectomy. I had the kindest anesthesiologist; she caught me in the hallway, outside the O.R., shaking so hard I was moving the gurney down the hall. She wrapped me in heated blankets and added tranquilizer to the I.V.

Turns out, it wasn't an ectopic pregnancy, and nine months later, I was fortunate enough to have the same woman administer the epidural when I went into labor with my son. He was 9 lbs, 13 ozs. It was nice that she could be there to see that there was a happy outcome!

Now I get to know the 2nd name in the Mocktail Mommies group. Doctors who make extra effort in relaxing their parents are a blessing. The patient going on a trip to Ladhak while under the effect of anesthesia - does this happen for real?

Thank you for your kind words Anamika. Patients usually dream about their deepest thoughts & desires at times under anaesthesia.I have had people travelling to places like Australia, Ladakh, Germany etc. They are even accompanied by people of their choice... it basically helps you feel like you lived your dream.